He looked up. ‘My girl stormed out. Didn’t like that we’d both ordered waffles. I refused to change and now she’s sulking in the car. Worst. Day. Ever.’

Her day had started with cleaning urinals at 6am. Two separate groups had skipped out on the bill and she’d have to pay the difference. Her rent was overdue. Her son had told her that very morning to ‘F$@& off’.

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle each week where writers from around the world post 100 word stories based on a common photo prompt. For more information, and to read other stories, visit Rochelle’s page here.

Wow! Terrific story, Jessie! You hit the nail on the head. I once did a bad camera shot in the studio because I had an off day. My boss told me, “You can have a bad day, you just can’t have a bad show.” Even in other professions, the show’s gotta go one.

I really enjoyed your take and the philosophical questions it poses. The importance of gratitude and trying to keep our reactions to what happens to us, both in terms of the good and the bad, in perspective. I live with a severe auto-immune disease which has flared up over 3 Christmases in the last five years and I broke my foot two Christmases ago. After going through chemo and surviving, most things wash over me now. What I have noticed, is the number of people who need to vent and just talk for a good 15 mins half an hour about their problems without pausing. I don’t mind listening and I don’t expect these problems to be monumental. They just need someone to listen, just as people have listened to me and I swear there are a few people out there who have listened to me at the hospital and shown me such love.
I’m Australian so cafe staff are paid wages and tipping is minor here. Actually, I usually buy at the counter.
I feel sorry for the desperation of the waitress and that there’s no one to listen to her and ease her hardship. Some people really do it tough without much, if any, encouragement.
xx Rowena
BTW I think you’d enjoy reading the true story about the sunflower seeds salvaged from the Malaysian Airlines MH17 shot down over the Ukraine. I was given some of these seeds and they’re growing in my garden:https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2016/12/22/sunflower-a-christmas-miracle/